1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water-based ink for ink-jet recording, an ink cartridge, an ink-jet recording apparatus, and an ink-jet recording method.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is required for a water-based ink for ink-jet recording to provide the high optical density (OD value) and the quick drying performance adaptable to the high speed recording. As those capable of realizing these properties, a water-based ink for ink-jet recording has been suggested, in which, for example, the blending amount of a self-dispersing pigment is adjusted (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-35716).
However, if the blending amount of the self-dispersible pigment is increased in order to improve the optical density (OD value), the redispersibility of the water-based ink for ink-jet recording is lowered. On the other hand, if the discharge amount of the water-based ink for ink-jet recording is decreased in order to obtain the quick drying performance adaptable to the high speed recording, then the white stripe-shaped unevenness (banding) appears on a recorded image, and the optical density (OD value) is consequently lowered in some cases.